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(No Model 8 1J.YB. MOONEY.

STEAMBOAT STAGING. No. 290,342.- Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

- Inventor; fittestv d UNITED STATES PATENT QEETCE.

JOHN B. MOONEY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR ro JAMES L. HAVEN,

or SAME PLACE.

TEAM BOAT-STAG l NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,342, dated December 18, 1883.

- Application filed July 21, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN B. MOONEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steamboat-Stagings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention comprises a novel combination of appliances for shifting the heavy stagings or platforms such as customarily employed for transferring freight and passengers to and from steamboat-s and other vessels. This combination includes a mast or other suit able support, a swinging boom, a special rope or chain that sustains the platform, a hoisting rope or cable, and a system of sheaves, wherewith any desired purchase may be obtained, as hereinaftermore fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

My invention further consists in applying to said boom a secondary tackle,-wherewith the inner and heavier end of the staging may be handled independently of the hoisting-rope, as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

The a'nnexed drawing is an elevation of my improved steamboat-staging in its normal position.

A represents a portion of the deck of a steamboat or other vessel, and B is a mast or other suitable support projecting from said deck, which mast is maintained in its proper position with one or more stays or ties, 0. Secured near the top of this mast is one end of a guy, D, the other end thereof being attached to the extremity of a swinging boom, E, which latter is hinged or otherwise coupled to said mast at F. Secured to the free end of this boom is a rope, G, the bend of which supports a sheave, H, that carries the stirrup I of staging or platform J. Rope G, after passing under the sheave H, is passed over a sheave, K, journaled either in the boom E or on the side of the latter, the free end of said rope being then secured to another sheave, L. This sheave L, in conjunction with two other sheaves, N O, the latter being attached to mast B, have rove through them the hoisting-rope P, the loose end of which is belayed around a cleat, R, or other fixture. Furthermore, these sheaves L and N may be composed either of two, three, or more pulleys, according to the power required for shifting the platform.

Attached to boom E is a pulley, S, over which is passed a rope, T, this tackle S T be-' to the size and weight of the staging or platform J.

When this apparatus is in its normal position, the platform J is disposed longitudinally of and about in line with the center of the deck, the outer end of said platform projecting beyond the bow of the vessel, while the inner and heavier end of the staging rests on said deck, as shown. As the platform is generally carried quite low down, so as to be near the deck, it is evident it can be further lowered to communicate with the shore by simply unslacking the free end of rope P from the belaying-cleat R, the boom E having been previously swung around to the side of the vessel;

but if the shore, bank, or wharf should be higher than the vessels deck, the hoistingrope P is pulled so as to draw the pulley L toward the sheave N, thereby lifting the outer end of the staging to the desired elevation.

Preparatory to swinging the boom around either to the larboard or starboard of the vessel, the rope T is pulled on, so asto cause the inner end of platform J to just clear the deck A, thereby allowing said platform to swing in unison with said boom. Consequently there is very little wear and tear of the platform on the deck of the vessel.

Owing to the peculiar arrangement of ropes and pulleys herein described, two or three men can handle the heaviest stagings with the utmost ease and safety, thereby dispensing with an engine or an extra shift of men, and allowing the boat to communicate with the shore without stopping.

In some cases the boom E may be rigidly attached to mast B, and the latter be arranged to turn in a step or bearing attached to the vessel s deck. Again, the pulley H may be omitted and the end of the portion 9 of rope G be attached directly to the stirrup I or other de vice that supports the platform J in which event there would be no use for the other portion, 9, of said rope. Finally, the sheave 0 may be dispensed with, and the hoisting-rope P be carried directly down from the pulley N, as indicated by dotted lines 1).

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a steamboatstaging, of mast B, at or near the top of which is attached a guy, D, that sustains the upper end of swinging boom E, said boom being provided with a pulley, K, over which is passed the rope G, that supports the stagingl J, substantially as herein described, the free end of JOHN B MOONEY.

Witnesses:

James H. LAYMAN, Sam S. CARPENTER. 

